Social media networks lit up last week when a commenter on the ‘Hot! or Not?’ Facebook page called out Maerua Mall management for allegedly letting a ‘gang’ operate unchecked on their premises, terrorising staff and shoppers alike. Property managers Oryx Properties denied knowledge of any problem for years according to retailers.
The Namibian Consumer went to the mall and spoke to security guards, store managers, staff and customers who painted a very different picture from what Oryx was saying publicly.
Sources inside the mall told us that a petition was created by stores to complain about the issue. A meeting was held with management and security to hear their complaints and, until the issue hit social networks and newspapers, sources say, management was not interested in the issue, which is why it was allowed to go on for so long.
Oryx CEO Stefan De Bruin responded by saying “The situation is currently receiving top priority. A database of photographs of the syndicate operating in the mall have been established over the last year. It is, however, difficult to catch these criminals red handed in order to arrest them, and if they are arrested they re-appear within a few days. We have now instructed security to remove them from the premises whenever they are detected. We have called in extra security in civilian clothes to assist with this.”
Store managers said that Checkers and Jay Jays are the stores that are usually targeted and Angolan shoppers are usually the main targets for money and cellphones. The gang allegedly comes when the store is full because the staff are focused on serving clients. Sources indicated that the gang can be found everywhere around the mall. They are normally found in groups of three to eight and split up and spread out to different parts of the mall.
One store manager said “They lift up their shirts to reveal guns or knives, in an attempt to warn you not to do anything otherwise they’ll use it on you. They swear at you if you warn a customer or if you catch them red handed trying to steal. They sometimes become violent and start kicking clients or staff when caught. There was an incident where the shop owner got a call from a mother, complaining about her daughter being assaulted in the shop. He then referred to the management center at the time and nothing was done about the matter.”
It was apparently decided at the meeting that security will be upgraded but mall staff say that this is still not working. One said “they were just in my shop yesterday (Wednesday),” and went on to add, “Orxy should look into a new company as the staff are vulnerable because they are threatened or warned that if they tell or try to do anything they will be found outside when the go catch a taxi to go home and if they have their own private cars, they are told that they know where they parked their cars.”
“Trying to warn the Angolans is difficult due to the language barrier and if you try to demonstrate it to them, the culprits will see. Some of these people lose their passports and identity documents in these robberies,” say concerned store managers.
Most shops can’t afford to have their own guards due to the cost but most shop owners say these people are well-known, so they just should not be allowed into the mall.
When asked why the security company has not been replaced, De Bruin said, “we still employ the same security company, but extra support has been called in. We had no recent incidents reported to us since the extra support was called in. The special unit will not tolerate the presence of this syndicate and will remove them with force if needed.”
One manager said, “Whenever they come into some stores, the security guard turns away and pretends to not have seem them, which can only mean two things, it’s either, they are working together or they are afraid.”
De Bruin, however, stated that the mall management and security have a long term plan and have renewed focus on preventing the gang from harassing shoppers.
“We will call in the special unit whenever it becomes a problem again. We also urge the public and the tenants to call the management office whenever there is an incident. Our security company was also instructed to be on the lookout for these pickpockets. We will also act against any security guard that turns turns a blind eye whenever there is an incident. The public support in this will be very helpful. We are also in the process of upgrading the CCTV monitoring system in the mall to assist in detecting these criminals. It will also assist in establishing a database of these criminals which will assist the guards on patrol to remove these culprits whenever they are detected on the premises.”
Retailers insist that they have lost customers who are scared to come do their shopping at the mall. Most of these shops are trying their best to warn their customers.
The Namibian Consumer went to the mall and spoke to security guards, store managers, staff and customers who painted a very different picture from what Oryx was saying publicly.
Sources inside the mall told us that a petition was created by stores to complain about the issue. A meeting was held with management and security to hear their complaints and, until the issue hit social networks and newspapers, sources say, management was not interested in the issue, which is why it was allowed to go on for so long.
Oryx CEO Stefan De Bruin responded by saying “The situation is currently receiving top priority. A database of photographs of the syndicate operating in the mall have been established over the last year. It is, however, difficult to catch these criminals red handed in order to arrest them, and if they are arrested they re-appear within a few days. We have now instructed security to remove them from the premises whenever they are detected. We have called in extra security in civilian clothes to assist with this.”
Store managers said that Checkers and Jay Jays are the stores that are usually targeted and Angolan shoppers are usually the main targets for money and cellphones. The gang allegedly comes when the store is full because the staff are focused on serving clients. Sources indicated that the gang can be found everywhere around the mall. They are normally found in groups of three to eight and split up and spread out to different parts of the mall.
One store manager said “They lift up their shirts to reveal guns or knives, in an attempt to warn you not to do anything otherwise they’ll use it on you. They swear at you if you warn a customer or if you catch them red handed trying to steal. They sometimes become violent and start kicking clients or staff when caught. There was an incident where the shop owner got a call from a mother, complaining about her daughter being assaulted in the shop. He then referred to the management center at the time and nothing was done about the matter.”
It was apparently decided at the meeting that security will be upgraded but mall staff say that this is still not working. One said “they were just in my shop yesterday (Wednesday),” and went on to add, “Orxy should look into a new company as the staff are vulnerable because they are threatened or warned that if they tell or try to do anything they will be found outside when the go catch a taxi to go home and if they have their own private cars, they are told that they know where they parked their cars.”
“Trying to warn the Angolans is difficult due to the language barrier and if you try to demonstrate it to them, the culprits will see. Some of these people lose their passports and identity documents in these robberies,” say concerned store managers.
Most shops can’t afford to have their own guards due to the cost but most shop owners say these people are well-known, so they just should not be allowed into the mall.
When asked why the security company has not been replaced, De Bruin said, “we still employ the same security company, but extra support has been called in. We had no recent incidents reported to us since the extra support was called in. The special unit will not tolerate the presence of this syndicate and will remove them with force if needed.”
One manager said, “Whenever they come into some stores, the security guard turns away and pretends to not have seem them, which can only mean two things, it’s either, they are working together or they are afraid.”
De Bruin, however, stated that the mall management and security have a long term plan and have renewed focus on preventing the gang from harassing shoppers.
“We will call in the special unit whenever it becomes a problem again. We also urge the public and the tenants to call the management office whenever there is an incident. Our security company was also instructed to be on the lookout for these pickpockets. We will also act against any security guard that turns turns a blind eye whenever there is an incident. The public support in this will be very helpful. We are also in the process of upgrading the CCTV monitoring system in the mall to assist in detecting these criminals. It will also assist in establishing a database of these criminals which will assist the guards on patrol to remove these culprits whenever they are detected on the premises.”
Retailers insist that they have lost customers who are scared to come do their shopping at the mall. Most of these shops are trying their best to warn their customers.
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